Tsunade's actions had truly touched Hinata Haruki.
The icy walls in his heart had completely melted away.
She was a master who would search for him without rest or sleep.
A master who remembered his birthday.
A master who could put aside her pride to apologize to him.
A master who didn't want him to stray onto the wrong path.
A master who was willing to trust him unconditionally...
At this moment, Haruki felt genuinely happy.
"Ahem! By the way, Haruki, how did you manage to make it back?" Tsunade asked.
"I was ambushed by Hyuga Nichin and his lackeys. I injured them, but they also seriously wounded me. At that moment, it seemed like some Sunagakure shinobi showed up, so I used the distraction to escape. But my injuries were so severe that my vision went black, and I tumbled down the mountainside. When I woke up, I found myself in a cave, badly hurt. Honestly, it's a miracle I didn't die from the fall."
"I rested to recover while also trying to find a way out. The cave was like a maze, and I wandered for a long time. Luckily, there was an underground river inside, so I caught plenty of fish. Using my Byakugan, I navigated for dozens of days before finally making it out. When I emerged, I realized I was tens of kilometers from the spot where I'd fallen."
Haruki had already asked Meizuki about the search and rescue efforts for him, but here he left out certain details.
It wasn't that he distrusted Tsunade—but he had promised the clan elder to keep certain things secret, and right now he couldn't tell her about the Tenseigan either.
"Mm." Tsunade nodded. That lined up with what she had guessed.
"By the way, sensei—what happened to that bastard Hyuga Nichin?" A flicker of killing intent crossed Haruki's face. If he was acting, he might as well commit to it fully.
"Haruki, both of them are dead. Most likely they were killed by the Sunagakure jonin who had been pursuing you. Hyuga Nichin's Byakugan was also taken by the Suna shinobi," Tsunade replied.
"I see…" Haruki thought to himself, Hah! Suna really are my MVP teammates—taking the blame like champions.
"Hyuga Nichin's father, Hyuga Hideyoshi, has been stripped of his position on the elders' council and is now confined to the clan's internal compound. But Nichin's plot to murder his own younger brother was so scandalous that Lord Hiruzen decided not to publicize it. I hope you can understand, Haruki," Tsunade continued.
"Mm, thank you, sensei," Haruki said with a nod, thinking, The old man did help me settle a score. That old dog Hideyoshi won't be able to stir up much trouble now. And if he does get restless… taking him out would be child's play.
"Haruki, once I'm fully recovered, I'll teach you medical ninjutsu, alright? For now, why don't you help out at the medical station for the next few days?" Tsunade smiled—she was already feeling much better today.
"Yes, sensei!" Haruki nodded happily.
"Haruki, I had this flak jacket custom-made based on your own design. Originally, it was meant to be placed in your memorial after the war. But now that you're alive and back, and your old jacket is ruined, consider this my gift to you as your master." Tsunade held up the small flak jacket and handed it to him.
"Thank you, sensei! I really like it." Haruki ran his hand over the new jacket. The craftsmanship was meticulous, and it had been improved from his original design—Tsunade had clearly put a lot of thought into it.
"Sensei, it's getting late. You should rest well and recover quickly. We can talk about some things tomorrow," Haruki said, taking his leave.
"Alright. Tomorrow, I'll announce to everyone that you're alive," Tsunade nodded.
Haruki left the medical station and returned to his room.
The next day, the entire Konoha war camp was in an uproar. Not long ago, the Third Hokage had ordered that Hinata Haruki's deeds be widely publicized, so everyone knew Konoha had a young hero named Hinata Haruki.
Not only was he the youngest chunin in Konoha, but also Tsunade-sama's disciple.
He had repeatedly devised strategies in battle, turned the tide against enemy raids, completely annihilated a force that ambushed a supply convoy, used advanced medical skills to save the medical station, and led a recon squad to rout Sunagakure troops.
Haruki's contributions were immense, helping secure Konoha's advantage in the war. Unfortunately, he had been presumed dead after luring enemies away to save his comrades—killing nine pursuing Suna shinobi on his own—before falling into a cave. Many had mourned his loss.
Now they learned he wasn't dead at all. He had survived his injuries and returned alive. On top of that, just yesterday he had killed six more Suna shinobi and saved four Konoha comrades. His name was already spreading rapidly through the camp.
Everyone was talking about him. Many had been treated by Haruki at the medical station and spoke highly of him. Admiration, gratitude, envy, respect, suspicion, even disdain—everyone had their own opinion. But one thing was certain: the name "Hinata Haruki" now carried weight.
At the same time, Tsunade officially announced that Haruki was her apprentice and had been reassigned to the medical station. Their teacher–student relationship was now public. It was also, in a way, Tsunade's way of making amends—after all, Haruki had been stuck in the supply warehouse for a long time. Some people hadn't even known she had taken a disciple, and when they realized that the boy who had been managing the warehouse was Tsunade's student, they were stunned.
Haruki didn't care about any of that. Wearing the new flak jacket Tsunade had given him, he reported to the medical station.
"Haruki-sama, you've arrived," one of the doctors said respectfully.
"Uh… just call me Haruki, old man," he replied. He preferred a more casual tone—he was only seven, after all, and being called "-sama" felt awkward.
"Alright, Haruki. Please take care of us." The doctors bowed to him.
"Let's work hard together!" Haruki returned the bow.
"Well then… let's start treating patients." He flexed his wrists and stepped into the ward, where several patients were waiting for him. His demeanor shifted—now radiating confidence and composure that inspired others to trust and cooperate with him.
"Brachial artery's ruptured! Red-level patient! Immediate hemostasis!" Haruki called out sharply, pressing several key tenketsu on the injured shinobi's body, greatly reducing the bleeding. Without intervention, the man would have bled out in ten minutes.
"He's been poisoned—yellow-level patient! Get the antidote!" one of Haruki's shadow clones told a nurse.
"Ankle dislocation—green-level patient! Bear with the pain, I'll reset it," Haruki told another.
"Head laceration with skull damage—acute hematoma! Red-level patient! We need immediate cranial surgery to remove the clot!" another clone said, deactivating its Byakugan. The nurse rushed the patient into the operating room.
Good thing I've performed a few similar operations during my time with the overseas humanitarian medical team. With a chakra scalpel, this should work even better, Haruki thought. Using his Byakugan for precise vision, he made an incision in the patient's scalp and began the drilling procedure.
"First, a puncture to remove the epidural hematoma!"
After handling all the patients, Haruki checked their recovery progress in the wards, examining each with his Byakugan and giving careful instructions, which everyone took seriously. Tsunade-sama's apprentice had already proven his skill, and his advice would be followed to the letter.
Next, Haruki carried a lunch box to visit Kato Dan. Dan's spirits had improved a lot—he could now get out of bed and walk a little each day. He had already heard of Haruki's return and was happy to see him.
"Dan-sensei! I'm here!" Haruki said with a smile.
"I knew a brat like you wouldn't die so easily! But you came back without visiting me first!" Dan said with a grin, though he lightly scolded him.
"I got back too late yesterday and saw you were already asleep, so I didn't want to disturb you," Haruki said, scratching the back of his head apologetically.
"As long as you're back! I always believed my student would escape danger. What makes me happiest, though, is that you've reconciled with Tsunade," Dan said, patting Haruki's shoulder. He cared for both of them and was relieved their relationship was mended—and that Haruki was now her apprentice.
"Heh heh," Haruki chuckled.
"Sensei, now that you've recovered a bit, I'd like to discuss with Tsunade-sama about arranging for you to return to the village for further treatment. Recovery will be much faster there—medical facilities on the front lines can't compare."
"With you and Tsunade here, I'd say the medical care is better here," Dan replied.
"Heh… sensei, you just don't want to be away from my master, right?" Haruki teased, giving him a knowing look.
"Uh… well, I suppose I am reluctant to leave…" Dan admitted, blushing slightly.
Haruki's tone turned serious. "But Dan-sensei, your injuries are severe. Some of them will take at least a year or more to heal, and even then, it may be difficult to return to your original condition. You might never be able to serve as a shinobi again…"
Dan's expression dimmed at that.
"But, sensei—my master and I will do everything we can to heal you. So don't worry too much," Haruki assured him. As a doctor, he had to be honest about the prognosis, but also give the patient hope and do everything possible to help them recover.
"Mm! I trust you both," Dan nodded, smiling again.
"Sensei, I'll go see my master now. Make sure you finish your lunch!" Haruki waved goodbye and left the room.